We've been talking about it for a while, and off the back of a well-timed bonus from my lovely husband's work, we decided to take the plunge. We are now the proud owners of a Nintendo Wii, complete with Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort and Wii Fit Plus, including the balance board. (I also acquired the 'Zumba Fitness' game, but I'm quite sure that's going to merit a post all of its own sooner or later...) Amazingly enough, we've never owned a games console in all our time together, so it's something completely new for us. I think both of us are gripped by a certain degree of fascination with the thing!
Of course, the main idea is to help us both with our general fitness and weight loss. It's a type of exercise that means not having to leave the house, that we can do together and which has an in-built monitoring system. It's cheaper than gym membership too - the cost of it equates to about 4 months of gym membership for us both, and then there are no further costs.
Being in the position of suffering with a overabundance of different medical conditions, I've found that a standard gym is simply no use to me. Although time spent using the weights machines in the gym does work my muscles as it's supposed to, it also usually leaves me with crippling fibro pain for several days. Not constructive.
I'm of the view that doing gentler, low-impact exercise to tone up is going to be far better for me in the long-term, especially when combined with my usual cycling activities. On the left here is a picture of me with my gorgeous girl, Annie, seen on a grand day out to York. At the time my parents and I had cycled from Escrick to York - we then had lunch and cycled back, the cycle path is beautiful and it was a lovely day out.
Anyway - as I can't drive, Annie is my main means of getting around the city. I go to and from work with her, to and from Weight Watchers with her, and to and from just about anywhere I need to go. She's a superstar and has a (sometimes mercurial) personality all of her own. I acquired her last summer through the government's "Cycle to Work" initiative, which means I got her through work and am paying for her through a salary sacrifice scheme - the idea is that I save tax on the cost of the bike and all its accessories so long as I use her to get to and from work. Quite aside from all this and the health benefits, the freedom that Annie has afforded me has done wonders for my self-esteem.
All this is very interesting, but I'm sure I started this post talking about something else... ah. Yes. The Wii! My lovely husband set it all up last night after dinner, and we immediately started playing with it, setting up the "Mii"s to represent us, playing with the sports, setting up the Wii Fit accounts for each of us. We were amused and insulted by turns to discover that the balance board goes "Ouch!" when you step on it! My husband was chuffed to discover that his "Wii Fit Age" was exactly right - I however had no such luck, having to suffer the indignity of being aged up 12 years by a games console... how rude!
Having spent some time on the balance board yesterday evening doing some of the balance activities, I discovered soreness this morning in muscles which I don't think I really knew I had. This can only be a good sign for how much good it's going to do me! So far my favourite activity is 'Rhythm Kung Fu' but no doubt that will change. :)
At the moment we're planning to both try to do 30 minutes a day on the fitness activities, plus maybe play some tennis or golf or bowling together if we feel like it. At the moment I'm optimistic - as the alternative title for this post says, it's all about 'learning to try'. I'm not sure that learning to try and then keeping on trying isn't half the battle won with some things. In the past there have been so many things that we've tried with a token effort and given up on in a very short space of time without really trying. I can't speak for my husband, but for me I think focussing on the need to try and really try properly will help me.
I promise to come back with tales of achievements, aches and pains and comedy moments involving the Wii. After all, why not share the joy? :)
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